Judges Discretion pushed her win streak to seven in a row at Cornerstone Raceway in Yorkton Saturday.
Tyler Redwood drove the seven-year-old mare to the top spot in the Bert Dalgliesh Memorial Pace, timed in 2:02.2, held as part of the annual summer fair. Kinda Special finished second for Kevin Sampson with Bubblemint and Garett Isman in third.
Redwood said the race was a tough one.
"It didn't go as planned at all. You always pre-think a race and it didn't go that way," he said.
The driver-trainer said Judges Discretion was actually nervous at the gate and seemed agitated by the bigger crowd and noises from the nearby midway.
While Redwood and Judges Discretion were ahead at the three-quarters it wasn’t a comfortable lead.
"I thought I was going to get beat. They were piling up on me, but she was game the whole race," he said.
Redwood said the win was, of course, big as it extended a streak, but it also came with a blanket as a feature race, the first for Judges Discretion in the four years they have had the mare.
Redwood said the hardest thing will be keeping the streak going, adding 10 is sort of a goal in the back of his mind.
"It would be great to get to double digits," he said.
Earlier on the card, Redwood had taken the Yorkton Open Pace, held in memory of Yorkton Exhibition Association directors Chantelle Kirkham and Sheldon Nicholson, both who died in the past year. Redwood's winning drive was with Light The Road in 2:00.3 over Kevin Siever with Outlaw Spider and Brian Gray with Sophio Hanover.
"He's just good," he said, noting it was the gelding's third win in a row, the toughest of the three. "He had to work for it every step of the way."
It was also a memorable race card for Mark A. Haining, who took HF Zeligs Glory to the winner's circle for his first win as a driver. He edged out Clayton Braybrook with Bling Kaching and Sampson with Found My Desire in a 2:03.1 mile.
"It feels amazing," said Haining after the races, adding he felt HF Zeligs Glory was ready for a win. Last week he was placed third after challenging for a higher spot.
"Today everything just seemed to work out for me. He was good behind the gate, and steered straight."
Haining has had his license for about a year, but did not race over the winter. He said it was good to finally get his maiden victory, adding it came as a result of learning over all the previous races.
"It came with experience...experience and listening to my Dad. I owe a lot to him," he said, adding that experience has allowed him to better manage races. "It's being more self-aware out there and know where everyone else is.”
"It was more experience and the horse was ready today, and that's a lot to do with it too. It doesn't matter how good a driver is, if the horse is not ready, you won't get very far."
Haining said while it took a while, he knew "it [the win] would come eventually."
To view Saturday's harness racing results, click on the following link: Saturday Results - Yorkton Exhibition.
(Trot Insider exclusive by Calvin Daniels)